At 11:00 AM, a government session will take place. One of the topics of deliberation will be the draft budget bill for 2020, which the Sejm is scheduled to consider at its next session in two weeks, on January 8-9. Subsequently, at 2:00 PM, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki will participate in the opening ceremony of the Częstochowa motorway bypass.

A hearing has been scheduled for 9:00 AM in the Chamber of Extraordinary Control and Public Affairs of the Supreme Court, concerning legal questions regarding the independence of the National Council of the Judiciary.

At 12:00 PM, a hearing will be held where the Supreme Court will adopt a resolution on the validity of the recent parliamentary elections. The hearing will take place with the participation of the entire Chamber of Extraordinary Control and Public Affairs.

Furthermore, at 1:00 PM, the Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court will address the case of Judge Paweł Juszczyszyn, who has been suspended from adjudicating until December 29 by the President of the District Court in Olsztyn. The Chamber will decide whether the judge will return to adjudicating or remain suspended.

- We want to hold a public debate in the days leading up to the Senate session. We want to ask national and foreign experts, because I would like to remind you that this act [on judges' discipline], which is extremely important, was introduced as a so-called parliamentary bill, meaning it had no consultations. December 12 [the act], December 20 voted through - stated Tomasz Grodzki in an interview with Konrad Piasecki on TVN24's "Rozmowa Piaseckiego".

- Generally, we wanted, and we always do this, that this [judges' disciplinary] law, if it is to be, should be as good as possible. Although its teeth have been somewhat blunted in its current form, in my opinion, this law has many dangerous provisions that disqualify it at the moment – stated Tomasz Grodzki in an interview with Konrad Piasecki on TVN24's "Rozmowa Piaseckiego".

- I am observing the recent behaviour of the President [Gersdorf] and instead of guarding Article 179 of the Polish Constitution, the President wants to play with international tribunals, and to give opinions on the basis that she is a politician and she wants to determine what the regulations in Poland should look like - said Jacek Ozdoba in an interview with Wojciech Dąbrowski on Polsat News' "Graffiti".

- The answer is unequivocally - no [as a doctor, director, or head of department, I have never accepted money in exchange for performing surgery, a procedure, or admitting someone to the hospital]. But let's imagine a situation where, you know, 19 years ago, I wanted to appear on TVN. I brought you 3,000 PLN, you promised to arrange the TV appearance for me, but you didn't arrange it and you didn't return the money. Don't you feel the absurdity of this situation, that now you will have to prove that this situation did not happen? - stated Tomasz Grodzki in a conversation with Konrad Piasecki on TVN24's "Piasecki's Interview".

- I am a Polish MP and we make Polish law. In my opinion, Commissioner Jourová should not interfere with our legislation in the legislative process in this way at all - said Jacek Ozdoba in an interview with Wojciech Dąbrowski on Polsat News' "Graffiti".

- Why is she doing it? - the journalist pressed.

- I think she has false information.

- Was she misled?

- Perhaps so.

- And who misled her?

- We already had a debate in the European Parliament where Robert Biedroń claimed that a citizens' initiative was a government project, misleading all MEPs, lying on the international stage.

– For 4 years I was a senator – nothing happened. For 36 years I practiced surgery – nothing happened, it never occurred to anyone. Please note the temporal coincidence. I became Marshal, and the first attacks appeared. Judicial bills appeared, and further attacks followed. I am participating in a witch hunt. And it can be a reason for pride that I am the most reviled by society, or that there are efforts to discredit me, but I have a clear conscience. I am capable, as you say, of looking everyone in the eye and saying: I have never linked any medical procedure to accepting money – stated Tomasz Grodzki in an interview with Konrad Piasecki on TVN24's "Rozmowa Piaseckiego".

„Madam Jourová did indeed send such a letter, but it was not an initiative of the European Commission, but her individual one. It is worth emphasizing that it took place before amendments were introduced to the bill, which changed the draft law. I know from media reports that Minister Ziobro plans to formulate a response. If Minister Ziobro responds, that will be a sufficient response” – said Minister Michał Dworczyk in an interview with Beata Michniewicz on Radio Trójka.

- We know well what Polish healthcare looked like a few, a dozen or so years ago, so these accusations don't sound unrealistic. Moreover, this is not an accusation against one, two people. More and more reports are appearing. They should at least sound an alarm bell. If the opposition doesn't see this, buries its head in the sand, smashes the thermometer and says there's no fever, to use Lech Wałęsa's comparison - then something is very wrong - stated Radosław Fogiel in an interview with Michał Rachoń on TVP Info's program "Jedziemy".

- While PiS says we are willing to remove Marian Banaś, the opposition rejoices that PiS has a problem. We will gladly help our opposition colleagues remove Marshal Grodzki if they express such a desire. And the concern about losing the majority – I am very sorry – is another example of the different standards by which PiS and the opposition are guided. We don't have a majority in the Senate because we decided not to field several of our former senators who had victory in their pocket, because we determined they did not adhere to our standards. It's not even about legal issues. We concluded that their behavior, their statements, were not in line with what we demand of our representatives. This is precisely the difference. Either standards, or defending power to the very end - stated Radosław Fogiel in an interview with Michał Rachoń on the TVP Info program "Jedziemy".

“The Supreme Audit Office operates in accordance with the provisions of the law, and whether any initiatives will be taken in this matter, I cannot answer at this moment. We know that some suggestions from the opposition were impossible to implement because they required changes to the fundamental law, and there was no consent from the parliamentary majority for that” – said Minister Michał Dworczyk in an interview with Beata Michniewicz on Polskie Radio’s Trójka.

Jan Śpiewak has submitted a request for clemency to the President of the Republic of Poland (PAD). The information was shared via his Twitter account. [Link to Twitter post: https://twitter.com/JanSpiewak/status/1209043597577904128]

- A budget without a deficit, a balanced budget, which reflects both our great pro-family program, namely 500+, including for the first child. We are maintaining everything as we promised, but this budget also includes our projects for young people, such as the PIT tax exemption for young people up to 26 years of age, a reduced PIT tax from 18% to 17% for 24 million people, thus a law that is also unprecedented. Here, we have incorporated this tax reduction into the budget as well. Furthermore, the 13th pension for all pensioners, as well as for recipients of disability pensions, was adopted today and is also part of this budget - stated Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at a press conference at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister (KPRM).

- In the face of various upheavals happening around us, Brexit on one hand, and on the other, the slowdown in the Eurozone or trade disputes between China and the USA, which lead to certain economic perturbations worldwide, create a situation where today this stable, balanced budget provides us with comfort, a certain safety buffer for 2020 - PMM continued.

- I am convinced that this is the best budget in the last 30 years. One could say that for the 30th birthday of the Republic of Poland, a free Republic of Poland, we are giving such a Christmas present, because on one hand, thanks to tax enforcement, which we are continuing and which is doing very well today, we can propose the 13th pension and all the projects we previously promised, including development projects concerning the construction of district, municipal, and express roads, which until recently were not part of the national road expansion plan. Furthermore, we are fulfilling our allied obligations, I mean here security budgets, so both the entire social sphere is secured in this budget, the sphere of external and internal security, but also the sphere that is so important to me, namely the sphere of Poles' aspirations, development, faster economic development, good, healthy economic development, because healthy development is one that is based on public finances that are in good condition, and our finances have probably never - it must be said honestly - been in such good condition - he emphasized.

„As part of the [Plan B concerning Banaś], we would have to convince the opposition to cooperate. Since the opposition today defends the status of the President of NIK (Supreme Audit Office), it is difficult to imagine that we ourselves have 2/3 or 3/5 of the votes in parliament, meaning we have 235 votes. Here the matter is clear. The opposition, which does not want to cooperate on this issue, takes responsibility for it” – said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at a press conference.

"I think the French law would be called even more drastically by our dear mainstream commentators. Before the holidays, it's worth letting a little air out of this balloon. We want to heal the situation, to bring about a state where there is no chaos, anarchy, or mess in the Polish judiciary," said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at a press conference.

https://twitter.com/SchetynadlaPO/status/1209079040214261760

On January 8th at 12:00 PM, two Senate committees: the Legislative Committee and the Human Rights, Rule of Law, and Petitions Committee, will consider the so-called judges' disciplinary bill. As announced by Tomasz Grodzki in an address, the Senate will address this bill at the next session of the upper house. The session was originally scheduled for January 8-9 but has been postponed to January 15-17. In practice, this means that any amendments or rejection of the bill will be reviewed by the Sejm during its session on January 22-23.

"We cannot allow for a situation in Poland where judgments issued by nearly 500 judges appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary (KRS) are questioned solely because the judges were selected by this KRS, which a part of the legal community refuses to accept. Judgments can be issued, parties can file appeals, and these can be heard, but we cannot allow for a situation where judges' status is questioned. Hence this law," said Minister Zbigniew Ziobro at a press conference.

“I will comment on the President’s words with a quote from Professor Rzepliński. This is a quote from ‘Gazeta Wyborcza’ from 2004, February 6, 2004. I believe these words, although old, are highly relevant today, as they justify the establishment of the Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court and indicate the reason why President Gersdorf defends those who count on being treated as an extraordinary group that stands above the law” - stated Minister Zbigniew Ziobro at a press conference.

- The kitchen is cleaned, the table is set. We are waiting for the most beautiful evening of the year. Ladies and gentlemen, Christmas is a moment of joy, warmth, which we await all year. From these moments. When we feel so much togetherness, we draw strength to cope with everyday life. It is precisely togetherness that we all need most today. I have invited you to my home, my husband is with me. Our son and friends will arrive shortly. We want to extend our wishes to you - says Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska in a clip published on social media.

- Ladies and gentlemen, we wish you happiness, love, and harmony. For all of us, without exception, to see only the good in others this Christmas, and for all anger to evaporate from everyone's minds - says Jan Kidawa-Błoński.

- We wish you, us, everyone, that we rediscover the meaning of Christmas. That we believe that light conquers darkness, love is better than hate, and that man is created to be good and to live in a loving community - Kidawa-Błońska continues.

https://twitter.com/M_K_Blonska/status/1209074292585091077

„I don't see a dispute. I see an awkward exchange of words. There is no dispute. President Duda is commenting on the reform. Mrs. President Gersdorf may disagree, but there is no dispute here. The President has the right to express a negative opinion about judges turning to, appealing to, or demanding intervention from EU bodies in Poland's internal reforms. I think he has the right to feel let down, disappointed. He has the right to say that this is inappropriate behavior” – said Minister Jadwiga Emilewicz in an interview with Bogdan Rymanowski on "Gość Wydarzeń" on Polsat News.

"Appealing to the European Commission, to Commissioner Jourová is inappropriate because there is no conflict between Polish law and EU law. Do you think the government is capable of controlling a few thousand judges in Poland? Are we seriously thinking or talking about this?" - Minister Jadwiga Emilewicz stated in an interview with Bogdan Rymanowski on "Gość Wydarzeń" on Polsat News.

https://twitter.com/BZdrojewski/status/1209129052793196544

"The bill has reached the Senate. The Senate, as announced by the Marshal, will work through it very carefully and meticulously. 30 days. If any further amendments are needed, we declare our cooperation," said Minister Jadwiga Emilewicz in an interview with Bogdan Rymanowski on 'Gość Wydarzeń' on Polsat News.

„We've been discussing the sugar tax for over 2 years. Poland has one of the lowest taxation rates on sweetened beverages. We are aware that obesity is becoming a childhood disease in Poland. We are introducing a significant, increased tax, the so-called sugar tax, because for many years these products have been readily available, very cheap, and without any reflection. We are starting a serious discussion about children's diets” – said Minister Jadwiga Emilewicz in an interview with Bogdan Rymanowski on "Gość Wydarzeń" on Polsat News.

- Yes, that is to say, that is precisely why I would prefer not to appear on this matter [the presidential campaign] as an objective and impartial commentator. I advise Szymon Hołownia, and I believe this campaign will be very long; it started very early, and full of surprises. And I advise him because I believe in the meaning of a non-partisan presidency. After recent experiences, I think this is some kind of chance for us, and perhaps also a chance for a very significant change in language - stated Rafał Matyja in an interview with Piotr Marciniak on TVN24's „Fakty po faktach”. 

- It is a shame that someone like Andrzej Duda is the President of Poland. Such words [regarding Gersdorf] should never have been uttered by a Polish president, and these words from Mr. Andrzej Duda speak for themselves. They show how low Andrzej Duda has fallen as a politician. For four years, he has been dividing Poles, for four years he has been offending Poles, for four years he has been participating in building this great pyramid of lies constructed by PiS politicians, destroying the independence of the judiciary - said Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz in an interview with Monika Olejnik on TVN24's "Kropka nad i".

- A fire is ravaging the Polish justice system, and PiS politicians, instead of extinguishing this fire in the justice system, are pouring gasoline on it by proposing laws like the one disciplining judges. Because these laws are completely contrary to judicial rulings - stated Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz in an interview with Monika Olejnik on TVN24's "Kropka nad i" (The Dot Over the 'i').

- The law we adopted is one that, under normal circumstances, we wouldn't have to adopt at all. It's essentially an action meant to counteract the paralysis of the judiciary, first and foremost, in the context of sabotaging the process of appointing new judges - said Kamil Bortniczuk in an interview with Monika Olejnik on TVN24's "Kropka nad i" (The Dot Over the i).